Big eye's under Bala skies

[mapstar]

8 hours ago, Timebandit said:

An all nighter for most of the chaps, you guys certainly don't do things by half on the observation trips and sessions. 

If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well. 

Thanks for LIKING the report which took 3 hours to write and commenting 

[estwing]

What did you think of the Bala lay-by ??...its on a par with our spot at Elan?

[mapstar]

Just now, estwing said:

What did you think of the Bala lay-by ??...its on a par with our spot at Elan?

Mike says so, and having done 3k miles this year looking for dark skies I can say it's up there with the best. 

[Stu]

Fabulous and very readable report Damian, reallyvglad you are getting that scope under the skies it deserves.

A question, you mentioned a surprise in using the UHC in Mike's scope for the Horsey, can you explain this a bit more? How did you find the various filters on it if you compared them?

[mapstar]

51 minutes ago, Stu said:

Fabulous and very readable report Damian, reallyvglad you are getting that scope under the skies it deserves.

A question, you mentioned a surprise in using the UHC in Mike's scope for the Horsey, can you explain this a bit more? How did you find the various filters on it if you compared them?

Cheers Stu, as you know it takes a long time to write these trips up for others to enjoy our exploits and derive benefit from them. Glad you liked it and encourages to write the next one. 

We tried the UHC as Mike had it in the scope already after looking at M42 with it and it was just there. Can't remember fully but it gave a different contrast to it.

We did try the O111 filter but it didn't reveal anything. 

The H beta is a dark filter so can be hard to see but in skies as dark and unpolluted as bala it was just there without. But it helps when you've seen it before. 

[Timebandit]

1 hour ago, mapstar said:

If a jobs worth doing, it's worth doing well. 

Thanks for LIKING the report which took 3 hours to write and commenting 

 

I Get the feeling my response was to under whelming to your report?

I apologise if this is the case but the response was written at about 12.30 at night , just before my head hit the pillow. 

Now I am more awake "Superb report" ?

[Stu]

37 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Cheers Stu, as you know it takes a long time to write these trips up for others to enjoy our exploits and derive benefit from them. Glad you liked it and encourages to write the next one. 

We tried the UHC as Mike had it in the scope already and it was just there. Can't remember fully but it gave a different contrast to it.

We did try the O111 filter but it didn't reveal anything. 

The H beta is a dark filter so can be hard to see but in skies as dark and unpolluted as bala it was just there without. But it helps when you've seen it before. 

Thanks Damian, understood now. I guess the OIII cuts out the H-Beta line whereas the UHC generally includes it so that makes sense. Not a lot of LP to filter out up there anyway  

Any thoughts about the limiting magnitude of galaxies you were getting down to? Must have been pretty impressive!

Last question, do you see the Running Man clearly with your scope under those skies?

[cotterless45]

Awesome report, lovely to hear of these wonderful sights. We used to get the Canes Venatici galaxies here a few years ago. Light pollution has got so much worse. Always worthwhile getting to a dark site.

NGC 891 is very beautiful as is NGC 4449, unique in that a modest scope can resolve it's stars. Now reaching for the aperture fever medication !

Old Nick.

 

[Mark at Beaufort]

Damian what a fantastic report and I so enjoyed reading the details of the various galaxies that you guys observed. I know Bala having stayed nearby and it is very dark with no light pollution.

Keep doing these great reports Damian they are so encouraging.

[mapstar]

23 minutes ago, Stu said:

Thanks Damian, understood now. I guess the OIII cuts out the H-Beta line whereas the UHC generally includes it so that makes sense. Not a lot of LP to filter out up there anyway  

Any thoughts about the limiting magnitude of galaxies you were getting down to? Must have been pretty impressive!

Last question, do you see the Running Man clearly with your scope under those skies?

There are that many varied magnitude's on galaxies Stu that I really can't say? one book says one thing the web says another? Take for instance NGC-5981 apparently mag13.6 some site's. I think my chart only goes down to Mag 14.5? Take UGC-9934  it's listed as mag 15.4 and I could see this near the Draco triplet easily but missed NGC-5976 simply as I was not looking for it due to the chart not showing it. The skies were nearly perfect and the best I've seen for months

The running man? honestly I'm not sure as I've ever looked but I will next time.

[mapstar]

26 minutes ago, cotterless45 said:

Awesome report, lovely to hear of these wonderful sights. We used to get the Canes Venatici galaxies here a few years ago. Light pollution has got so much worse. Always worthwhile getting to a dark site.

NGC 891 is very beautiful as is NGC 4449, unique in that a modest scope can resolve it's stars. Now reaching for the aperture fever medication !

Old Nick.

 

 

9 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Damian what a fantastic report and I so enjoyed reading the details of the various galaxies that you guys observed. I know Bala having stayed nearby and it is very dark with no light pollution.

Keep doing these great reports Damian they are so encouraging.

Cheers Nick, Mark

It's always a pleasure getting out somewhere properly dark. Glad you enjoyed the read guys but it really pales at the side of the actual experience and my words just don't do it justice 

 

[Daniel-K]

2 hours ago, mapstar said:

Mike says so, and having done 3k miles this year looking for dark skies I can say it's up there with the best. 

I second that.  Though I haven't been to sky yet.  My dark sky list goes

1.llynn peninsula 

2.Bala (less than 2 hours to get there)

3. Ellen Valley (dob mob trips) 

these 3 are the best of the places I've been too.

Damian if your brave enough a trip to LLyn peninsula soon

[PeterW]

If you're all clocking up those kind of miles, you ought to get an SQM and measure the skies you go to. See how dark a place can be found that are not too far... less driving equals more observing time!

Good to see you guys staying the distance... real observers keep going till dawn!

 

PEter

[estwing]

Faulksy was at Bala when it was being measured, what was it again Mike?

[Daniel-K]

3 minutes ago, estwing said:

Faulksy was at Bala when it was being measured, what was it again Mike?

21.7 

[mapstar]

1 hour ago, Daniel-K said:

I second that.  Though I haven't been to sky yet.  My dark sky list goes

1.llynn peninsula 

2.Bala (less than 2 hours to get there)

3. Ellen Valley (dob mob trips) 

these 3 are the best of the places I've been too.

Damian if your brave enough a trip to LLyn peninsula soon

Is that at the campsite you used Dan 

[faulksy]

as dan says cal. we happend to be there one night and some fella turned up , he was putting something on the floor and writing things down. being noisey i went over and asked him what he was doing. he worked for the dark sky reserve ,so i asked him how dark it was he said 21.7 thats a average of around 10 readings

[Daniel-K]

8 minutes ago, mapstar said:

Is that at the campsite you used Dan 

yeah Damien the guy even comes out for a look

[Daniel-K]

1 minute ago, faulksy said:

as dan says cal. we happend to be there one night and some fella turned up , he was putting something on the floor and writing things down. being noisey i went over and asked him what he was doing. he worked for the dark sky reserve ,so i asked him how dark it was he said 21.7 thats a average of around 10 readings

Mike didnt he say he had been to a few spots around the area and this was the darkest  by around .5 i think he said

[faulksy]

24 minutes ago, Daniel-K said:

Mike didnt he say he had been to a few spots around the area and this was the darkest  by around .5 i think he said

spot on dan, word for word

[faulksy]

2 hours ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

Damian what a fantastic report and I so enjoyed reading the details of the various galaxies that you guys observed. I know Bala having stayed nearby and it is very dark with no light pollution.

Keep doing these great reports Damian they are so encouraging.

its actually 14 miles from bala into the snowdonia reserve. very dark mark

[Daniel-K]

6 minutes ago, faulksy said:

its actually 14 miles from bala into the snowdonia reserve. very dark mark

ssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[Mark at Beaufort]

I won't say a word - promise.

[alan potts]

What an incredible report, I am going to have a coffee and read it again. Can I ask what the ARP book is mentioned by Calvin, I haven't seen that one.

Alan.

[mapstar]

2 hours ago, alan potts said:

What an incredible report, I am going to have a coffee and read it again. Can I ask what the ARP book is mentioned by Calvin, I haven't seen that one.

Alan.

Thanks Alan it was a cracking night with well over 100 galaxies observed by myself and Mike during the session.

The Arp galaxies book is this one as I far as I can remember

http://www.willbell.com/HANDBOOK/arp.htm

Takes some reading enjoy that coffee